Rice Kheer
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Rice pudding is a traditional favorite english dessert, that many Australian families make as a winter desert staple. When i came across this rice kheer, an Indian desert on my trip to southern India, i knew i had to make it. Rice kheer is made with milk , rice, sugar and condensed milk. The dish is delicately spiced with Cardamom, cinnamon and cloves it gives a wonderful delicate sweet spice undertone that elevates the humble rice pudding to a new level.
In Southern India, a similar rice pudding is cooked and called rice payasam. Rice payasam is made with milk and coconut milk.
Cooking Tips:
- Add rose water to enhance the flavour.
- Always use whole milk for making kheer. This will give it a creamy texture.
- You can add saffron for enhanced flavour. Crush some strands and add them to warm milk. Once a nice yellow colour appears, cook the kheer for 20-25 minutes and add saffron.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are rice pudding and rice kheer the same?
Yes, the terms are used interchangeably for the same dish. Rice kheer is also called rice pudding. Rice kheer is usually known as Indian rice pudding. You will find it with typical Indian flavours such as cardamom and saffron. Some variations ado contain rose water or kewra water flavours.
Can rice kheer be made sugar free?
Yes. All you need to do is add sugar-free sweeteners in place of sugar once the kheer is done.
Can you Make vegan Kheer?
Yes, definitely! The only thing that makes Kheer non-vegan is whole milk. So in place of regular milk, you can use almond milk. Don’t worry about the taste. It will taste equally good. Also, you should not roast the rice with ghee in the beginning to keep the recipe vegan.
Which type of rice should be used for kheer?
Kheer is most commonly made from basmati rice. It adds a subtle fragrance & delicious aroma to the dish. But you can experiment with any other fragrant variety as well. Even a regular variety of rice works fine.
Why has the rice become lumpy in kheer?
If you cook the rice grains or reduce milk by cooking it too much, then rice in the kheer will become lumpy. If this happens, just add some more milk in the kheer and press the lumps with a spatula to break them.
Why has milk turned brown? Is it burned?
Stir the rice frequently while simmering the milk to ensure that the milk does not become brown or burn from the bottom of the pan. Use a wide-mouthed pan. Make sure to cook the rice kheer on a low flame.
Spices used in this recipe
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Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks
Product description
Cinnamon Sticks, or quills, are obtained from the inner bark of a variety of trees from the Cinnamomum genus. The dried cinnamon quills are characterised by their light brown colour and thin rolled shape, as well as it’s warm, sweet and delicate fragrance. It is used to flavour poached fruits, tagines and curries, as well as baked goods.
The Spice People carry pure cinnamon in varieties as cinnamon ground and cinnamon sticks, as well as cinnamon sugar
$3.45 -
Green Cardamom Pods (Whole)
Product Description
Green Cardamom Pods have a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic fragrance and a minty coolness. The oval-shaped pods are green, as suggested by their name, and are used in a variety of savoury and sweet dishes. Next to black pepper, cardamom is the most common spice in India. It is also one of the world’s most ancient spices, often glorified as the Queen of Spices. It is an essential ingredient of Garam Masala.
The spice people carry cardamom in the form of these products; cardamom green pods whole, black whole cardamom and cardamom pods ground.
$3.45 -
Cloves Whole
Product description
Cloves are a dark brown, highly pungent and aromatic spice which should be used sparingly in both sweet and savoury dishes such as curries, sauces, stocks, apple dishes. It is especially good with baked ham. It is a spice used in a wide array of different cultures. It brings the palate a cleansing freshness and sweet spicy flavour.
The spice people carry both cloves whole and cloves ground.
$3.45
Method
heat ghee or butter in a saucepan, add the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick, saute for 3 mins. Add the nuts and dried fruits, saute a further 2 min.
Add the milk , sugar and bring to the boil and simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the cooked rice and condensed milk and simmer for 10 min to develop the flavour.
Serve warm or cold.
